Sonic Lanterns 5: TAU
by Powershade117
Summary: A sequel to "Sonic Lanterns 4: Vesper Bat". TAU, an artificial intelligence program, looks on at his friends and what they have become...and wishes he could do something about it. TAU (Tactical Automative Unit 300) is a Sonic fan character created by TAU300. I encourage you to travel to his DeviantART page if you are interested to learn more about the TAU and his friend.


Four streaks of bright light flew across the night sky; one yellow, one red, one blue, and one green. From a distance they appeared to be doing a dazzling dance in the air. They flew around each other in zigzags and loops with bright constructs of light colliding with each other. Get closer though, and this is not the case.

These four streaks came from the Mobian forms of Jessabel, Axel, Jack, and Vesper. These once close friends now find themselves on opposite ends of the spectrum, driven by different goals and empowered by the rings given to them by the different Lantern Corps in an attempt to destroy each other.

Jessabel cringed in fear as she stared at the red suited Axel, who was now blinded by an exceptional rage that prevented him from easily distinguishing friend from foe. "You're scaring me, Axel. Stay back!"

Axel bared his teeth and glared inhumanely. Blood plasma oozed from his lips as he let out fearsome anger-filled roar. "GIVE ME SINESTRO!"

Axel's ring lit up in a bright red as he flew straight toward Jessabel, his arm reared back for a punch. Jessabel turned tail and flew away from her rampaging old friend. While still flying backward, Jessabel stretched her arm out and shielded herself with a solid yellow wall with spikes on the opposite end. Her hope was that Axel would be deterred by the spikes and falter.

This was not the case as the new Red Lantern smashed his way through her construct. Jessabel shrieked as Axel ring-powered punch struck the side of her head. Jessabel was sent flying out of control toward the ground. She landed hard on her back, opening her eyes after impact to see Axel coming straight forward. Death was in his face; a death that he was going to deal to her in his rage.

To save herself, Jessabel created another yellow construct, but in the form of a trampoline. Keeping it flexible, Axel slammed hard into it. Instead of breaking it however, he flew straight up in the opposite direction he came. Jessabel caught her breath and dissolved her yellow trampoline. Intent on protecting the only man who claimed to have knowledge of her family, she flew back up to engage Axel again. She stopped in front of him and her eyes locked with his.

"Give up, Axel. Why can't you see this is what I want? Sinestro can tell me the truth about..."

"LIES! RRRAAAAAHHHH!" Axel's face twisted into an even more hateful glare, baring his teeth again. Jessabel could see red plasma leaking from his mouth.

"No!" Jessabel used her imagination to conjure a spike ball attached to a string. As Axel came charging, she began swinging and twirling it like a yo-yo. When Axel got close, she took a swing with all her might. Axel was too quick though. He grabbed the rope to get control and bit down on the spike head. Jessabel watched in disbelief as the blood pouring from his mouth was dissolving her weapon like acid.

As it melted, Axel glared at her with rage filled eyes. "YOU PROTECT HIM? YOU WILL DIE TOO!"

As Jessabel and Axel continued their back and forth struggle, another kind of fight was taking place not far off. Vesper was attempting make her way to Axel and Jessabel to stop them and bring them to justice according to the tenants of the Green Lantern Corps. The only thing in her way was the blue form of Jack. He was making sure to stay in between her and the two combatants.

"Get out of my way, Jack."

Jack spread his arms out in some attempt to shield them from Vesper. "No, Vesper. I can't let you harm them. They are lost and need to be helped and not punished."

"They will be stopped and they'll learn that these paths were folly. Either way, they will be done."

Jack tried to reason with Vesper. "Jessabel will still be haunted by fear and Axel will still be consumed by anger. Your way will only delay their future rampages; not end them."

"I have orders. I don't want to fight you, Jack...but I will if I have to." Vesper raised her ring hand. The ring glowed a bright green as Vesper summoned a green colored katana to her left hand. She pointed it threateningly at Jack. "I won't warn you again."

Jack responded by summoning a pair of solid blue round shields, one on each arm. "I will not falter to you, Vesper. Not when I still have hope that Jessabel and Axel can be saved without punishing them."

Vesper brought her construct sword to bear. "Have it your way then!" Vesper jetted toward Jack with her sword at the ready. She brought it down to swing, but was blocked by Jack's left shield. She came in on the other side, but was parried by the right shield. Vesper continued her assault to get by, only to be countered, blocked, and parried by Jack's shields. Finally, Jack slammed a shield hard into Vesper and she tumbled backward a distance. She quickly corrected herself and raised her weapon again. "Since when were you so good at hand-to-hand combat?"

"You'd be surprised what I can learn."

"Oh yeah? Learn this!" Vesper disintegrated her sword and conjured a pair of green missiles and sent them flying. They flew right past Jack however, intending to hit Jessabel and Axel.

"Not bad, Vesper. But again...I won't let you hurt them!" Jack used his vast imagination to bring a pair of blue colored vortexes into place in front of the missiles. They each disappeared into their respective vortexes. Jack then created another portal behind Vesper. Both missiles emerged from it and hit Vesper full force. Vesper staggered in mid-air before shaking it off and righting herself.

She glared at Jack, who only returned the gesture with a sad stare. "Oh so you wanna play rough, do you? Fine. Let's go!"

"I will do what I have to in order to protect them."

"You're a fool. The only people we should protect are the ones they will hurt!"

Jack hung his head, seeing that Vesper was not willing to listen. He sighed and spoke in a soft and sad tone. "I can see that you will not be persuaded. So...I suppose that whichever one of us remains conscious will enact their judgment upon them."

"Fine with me. Bring it on tech boy!" Vesper charged at a waiting Jack.

Watching all of this from afar and from orbit via a Mobian satellite was another friend of theirs; TAU. The Artificial Intelligence looked at this scene and could not help but feel a deep sense of sadness.

"I don't understand. They were all friends once. It has been 4 months, 17 days, 12 hours, 13 minutes, and 1 second since the Lantern invasion began. They were as close as any family could ever be. I was...am part of that family. Jessabel and her childish but kind hearted antics. She always brought smiles to those around her. Even Axel, despite being the stalwart and protective mercenary was not immune to her child charms. Jack, always with a helping hand and upgrading my systems and functionality when he found the time. Even Vesper...Distant as she was, always seemed to gravitate toward them, toward us. And I was part of that. Now...look what has become of them. They fight to destroy each other. Jessabel has given into her worst fears, poor child. She's being manipulated. Axel let his anger take root. Now he seeks to end all enemies, even those who were once friends. Jack...still clings to hope. But all his efforts have been for naught. Vesper...as her new job details, seeks to bring an end to the fighting, but seems...lost in her ways. She cares not for the inner suffering of the other three. Justice drives her...but it is cold justice. And me; I don't know. For once...I find myself asking difficult queries with no satisfying answers."

"What do you intend to do, TAU," NICOLE, the other artificial intelligence, asked. "Usually I can read your code and know of your intentions...but you have erected firewalls and blocks to keep me out. What is wrong?"

"This is something I wish to keep...private, NICOLE. It is...personal, I suppose. I still...I still find myself...caring. Any logical computer would calculate them as threats that should be eliminated. I hold no such thoughts. I...only wish the best for all of them...my family."

If NICOLE were a living creature, she might have shed a tear. She instead tried to comfort her friend. "They will be alr...incoming energy signature...unknown source."

"TAU...Tactical Automative Unit 300...you have lost so much...and still care so deeply."

TAU's audio receptors were filled with the strange new voice. It was alien to him, but did not cause him to be alarmed. "I...cannot discern the identity of the voice, nor exactly where it is coming from. Perhaps I should retreat into the central mainframe to avoid risking my discovery by this unknown force."

"You wish only the best for those you care for. You lack a physical heart, yet you feel such love for creatures so different. In this rare case of events...you have been chosen, TAU."

TAU found himself curious. "Chosen for what exactly. Identify yourself, if you would?"

In a flash, a purple ring appeared out of nowhere and slid itself onto TAU's finger faster than his positronic processors could fathom. The nanites that composed his body were shifting and changing, altering his exterior appearance while simultaneously altering his code. When the alteration was complete, TAU examined himself and found himself in shock. His regular suit was replaced with a tight purple and black suit with a star shaped insignia on his chest.

NICOLE scanned TAU and became worried about what just happened. Her anti-virus software was not working to identify exactly what force invaded TAU's systems. "TAU, are you functioning properly? I am detecting...unusual energy signatures."

"My code is intact. Whatever happened has...altered what I can do, but not who I am. But...this outfit will simply not do." TAU controlled his nanites in an attempt to revert back to his gentlemanly attire. He was partially successful, except for the streaks of purple running all along his clothing, with that same star symbol on his bow tie instead of his chest. His glasses also took on a glowing purple of the same shade.

The voice then came back to him, seeming to come from the ring itself. "Speak the oath, for now you are part of the Star Sapphires. You have lost those you love, and will now be able to save those you love and spread that same love to others."

"Accessing...files found...Star Sapphire speech program found...For hearts long lost, and full of fright. For those alone in blackest night. Accept our ring and join our fight - Love conquers all - With violet light."

"TAU? What just happened?"

TAU: I have been given another purpose, NICOLE. This...programming I suppose. It compels me to seek out my family, and bring peace to them through the...The love I feel for them...and the love they must feel for each other. I must..."

NICOLE was getting even more worried for her AI friend while at the same time becoming confused by what he was saying. "What? Must what, TAU?"

"This word should have no biological meaning for me. But I must...follow my heart."


End file.
